Turkey buys orbit rights following former president's space initiative

ISTANBUL

Reuters/NASA/Handout

Turkey has bought the rights to several space orbits in accordance with a state-funded space project that was initiated by late President Turgut Özal, according to Turkey's state-run TRT.
 
The purchased rights allow states to run satellites in the orbits.
 
Turkey's 4B satellite will be launched in February 2014, according to Özkan Dalbay, director of International Satellite and Cable Operator of Turkey (TÜRKSAT).
 
"The aim is to be one of world's largest satellite communication operators by 2017," Dalbay added.
 
Turkey is now the 16th satellite communication operator in the world and is set to launch new satellites in 2017 and 2019.

Turkey’s first Earth observation satellite, Göktürk-2, was launched Dec. 18 in China. Goktürk-2 contains a South Korean imaging system capable of 2.5m resolution aboard a Turkish-built satellite bus.

The satellite, a joint development by TÜBİTAK and Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc, will mainly be used for environmental protection, mineral resource exploration, urban planning and disaster monitoring and management.